In an unusual action, the United States sent two of its Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bombers from the U.S. mainland to bomb ISIS camps on the outskirts of the Libyan seaside city of Sirte, a mission that might have killed up to 100 of the Islamic militants.

The two stealth bombers flew all the way from their base at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to rain bombs on two ISIS camps located 45 kilometers southwest of Sirte.

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This city was liberated from ISIS control on December 5, 2016 by forces of the Libyan Government of National Accord supported by U.S. airstrikes as part of the U.S. Operation Odyssey Lightning.

The bombers unleashed over 100 gravity bombs onto both camps, killing anywhere from 80 to 100 ISIS fighters, many of whom were known to have escaped the fall of Sirte in December.

One U.S. Air Force officer described the bombing mission as "a huge success." It took the B-2s 30 hours to cover the 9,300 kilometer distance from Missouri to Libya.

Each B-2 can carry over 40,000 pounds of bombs and other munitions. That translates into over 80 500 pound bombs.

This mission was the first time the B-2s have seen combat since March 2011. The stealth bombers also flew this mission over Libya, but in support of the first wave of airstrikes in Libya during the NATO-led military intervention.

"The United States remains prepared to further support Libyan efforts to counter terrorist threats and to defeat ISIL in Libya," said Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook.

"We are committed to maintaining pressure on ISIL and preventing them from establishing safe haven."

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the ISIS fighters fled to the remote desert camps "in order to reorganize, and they posed a security threat to Libya, the region and U.S. national interests."

The airstrikes were authorized by President Barack Obama and are considered an extension of Operation Odyssey Lightning, the U.S. campaign that carried out almost 500 airstrikes against ISIS in Libya until the mission officially ended on Dec. 19, 2016.

In addition to fighters that fled Sirte, individuals at the camps the U.S. believed were actively involved in planning attacks in Europe or were involved in previous attacks were killed.

"We need to strike ISIL everywhere they show up" said Carter.

TagsNorthrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, United States, ISIS, Sirte, Libyan Government of National Accord, Operation Odyssey Lightning, U.S. Air Force, Defense Secretary Ash Carter, President Barack Obama